Business briefs

ASHEBORO — Liberty Tax Service is collecting valentines for Hugs for Soldiers to send to troops stationed across the globe. Liberty Tax Service, 405 E. Dixie Drive, Asheboro, will collect valentines during January. A pre-Valentine’s Day collection event will take place Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Liberty Tax office from 11:30 a.m..-1 p.m. with refreshments and plenty of card making materials. Individuals, businesses, school and church groups are invited to create old-fashioned handmade valentines, and write a handwritten thank you note too. Interested organizations or persons can call the local Liberty Tax office at 629-4700 for more information on how to get involved.

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CenturyLink launches home security, automation service

ASHEBORO — CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) is now offering its North Carolina customers a new, interactive service that helps protect and manage their homes with monitored home security, home automation and energy management features. CenturyLink Smart Home provides its customers with services like live video cameras, 24/7 professional monitoring service and the opportunity to see and control the services using a touch-screen panel as well as a smartphone, tablet or computer. The service also gives customers the power to remotely lock and unlock doors, turn on and off lights and adjust the thermostat for convenience and energy savings. For more information, visit CenturyLink at 405 E. Dixie Drive in Asheboro, call (877) 428-9290, or visit www.centurylink.com/smart.

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Mount Airy named official retirement community

RALEIGH —The N.C. Department of Commerce announced Thursday Mount Airy has been designated an N.C. Certified Retirement Community. The N.C. General Assembly established the program in 2008 to designate communities that offer unprecedented quality of living that is desirable to retirees. To gain certification, a local government must submit an application that includes a comprehensive community survey and assessment tool that spans numerous dimensions reflective of the city’s readiness for retiree attraction. Asheboro and Pittsboro are among the local communities that have received this designation. More information on the program can be found at www.nccommerce.com/tourism/programs-services/certified-retirement.